Soulful Old Man Sunshine -- When did it become known?

[c-man]

Some further enlightenment from Rick's ESQ interview:

"I think that the feel, the shuffle-swingy feel of the thing was so far left field for the Beach Boys that they just weren't into it at the time.  So it never really got mixed properly". 

"They did consider it for the boxed set, and I guess when they dropped one CD out of the set, they decided not to include it".

Interesting - I was involved (albeit peripherally) with the 1993 box from a very early stage, and it was always going to be 5CDs... unless he means when the idea of making one CD a kinda 'official boot' was developed (to save money s well as give the fans something extra).

Yeah, I figure that's what he meant.  He says "Because of that, I think there were a few things that didn't get included".  The way I understand it, the reason the fifth disc was free is because almost all of the songs were already included on other discs in the set, and therefore they wouldn't have to pay extra writers royalties.

Incidentally, further useful reading on the "SOMS" saga can be found in a later issue of ESQ, the September '98 issue.  That's where Brad Elliott describes the splice job that Dennis Dragon did on Rick's 1/4" rough mix tapes to produce the final version.

[Justin]

Just recently fell in love with this song and began searching through this board for some info regarding the track...

Amazing that such a song was sitting on the shelf for so long.  This song is absolutely brilliant.  I mean, it could have been a classic--all the way.   Too bad Carl wasn't happy with the vocal....

[filledeplage]

Just recently fell in love with this song and began searching through this board for some info regarding the track...

Amazing that such a song was sitting on the shelf for so long.  This song is absolutely brilliant.  I mean, it could have been a classic--all the way.   Too bad Carl wasn't happy with the vocal....

Justin - You just have amazing taste!  In the morning, I listen to Endless Harmony, (or the 73 Concert ) while I make my coffee.  Even if the weather is horrendous, Carl's voice is great one to help start your day! 

What I could never understand is why the  "sh" could not have  been "fixed."  It is such a great song! 

[Justin]

Just recently fell in love with this song and began searching through this board for some info regarding the track...

Amazing that such a song was sitting on the shelf for so long.  This song is absolutely brilliant.  I mean, it could have been a classic--all the way.   Too bad Carl wasn't happy with the vocal....

Justin - You just have amazing taste!  In the morning, I listen to Endless Harmony, (or the 73 Concert ) while I make my coffee.  Even if the weather is horrendous, Carl's voice is great one to help start your day! 

What I could never understand is why the  "sh" could not have  been "fixed."  It is such a great song! 

haha thanks...Well when the Beach Boys wrote such amazing songs like this one--it's easy to like these gems!  It's no wonder they started the Endless Harmony track with this one.  I would love to hear a version with Brian on lead...I enjoyed his take on it during the demo snippet as well.    Yeah, you would think they were able to fix the "shunshine"...but I guess we'll never understand the way Carl and the guys saw their own songs.  They probably thought the song was nothing to come back to which is why they probably never went ahead and finished this one.  I'm glad the song was able to be salvaged and released though---our gain!

[sockittome]

The first time I heard SOMS, when I bought the EH soundtrack, the thing that came to mind was, OMG this could have been a big hit for them when they really needed one.  I can imagine it getting a lot of radio play back in '69 or '70, alongside other Motown-sounding tunes like "Somebody's Been Sleepin' in My Bed" by 100 Proof Aged in Soul! 

[Ron]

It's an awesome song as mixed by Mark on the Endless Summer cd... but to be honest.... amazingly....   Brian has 2 or 3 times more Soul on his 'demo' that precedes it than Carl was able to capture on the completed song.  Such a shame we didn't get to hear Brian do it.  I didn't know Brian had it like that until I heard that demo snippet.  I can't think of any other songs he sang in that style...

[LeeDempsey]

I conducted that interview with Rick Henn for ESQ back in 1994, and he played both the edit that Dennis Dragon did (which was subsequently released on Endless Harmony), and the instrumental track, for Elliot Kendall and me.  I was floored at the time, and couldn't fathom why it didn't make it onto the GV box set.  But when it finally came out on Endless Harmony I kept feeling like something was missing in the arrangement, but I couldn't quite figure out what.  Then it came to me -- the bass line.  Nothing against Rick, but the bass line just feels like a Sunrays song to me instead of a Beach Boys song.  I can't help but think that if Brian had produced it, it would have had a more rollicking quarter note bass melody instead of the straightforward bass line it has.

Lee

[Justin]

It's an awesome song as mixed by Mark on the Endless Summer cd... but to be honest.... amazingly....   Brian has 2 or 3 times more Soul on his 'demo' that precedes it than Carl was able to capture on the completed song.  Such a shame we didn't get to hear Brian do it.  I didn't know Brian had it like that until I heard that demo snippet.  I can't think of any other songs he sang in that style...

+1

Has Brian ever talked about this track?  Would be cool if he shared what he thought of this one.  Maybe it'll be the usual, "Oh, that track's out of sight!"  "One of the best songs I've ever written" response though....

[Micha]

I think SOMS should have been a single. Even in 1998. Put some stock BBs material together for a video, then boost it with commercials. But that's only my taste.

[Autotune]

I thought, on first and subsequent listens, that the song did not live up to its hype.

[Zach95]

I thought, on first and subsequent listens, that the song did not live up to its hype.

Just curious...how so? It's so unique...so un-Beach Boysie.  As somebody else mentioned, it sounds a lot like Stevie Wonder and it's certainly catchy...it would have really been a minor hit at the very least.

[Autotune]

It just that to me sounds like an unfinished bubblegum cover version of somebody else's soul attempt. Besides, Henn was trying to put his arranging diploma to use, and it shows: even though it's unfinished, it's overworked. Also, I find it a little clumsy, maybe because of the un-BW bassline, as Lee Dempsey notes.

Not that he song is bad, it's just that fans have a tendency to hype unreleased songs. Finally,   when they're released you just go meh.

And it's hard for me to imagine that this band, that could not score a top 100 album with Sunflower, could have had a hit  with this song at that time.

[Ron]

See I never heard any hype for the song.  Never even heard of it until I bought "Endless Harmony"... so when I popped it in, it was like "WHAT THE f*** IS THIS?"  and I got goosebumps.

So in other words, don't listen to other people's opinion on music until you've heard it yourself. 

[Justin]

when I popped it in, it was like "WHAT THE f*ck IS THIS?"  and I got goosebumps.

haha yup, same here.

[Zander]

The song is amazing and this comes after what, 13 /14 years after I first heard it. I never get tired of it and it's on my homemade compilation if BB Greatest Hits...

[WWDWD?]

... there was no "final mix" of sorts because the vocals were not considered to be finished "master" vocals (the sessions fell apart before Carl's "final" lead was taped). ...

If you listen closely, you can hear Carl mess-up a line -- he sings "Soulful old man SHUNshine."  Maybe this is one of the reasons it wasn't officially released sooner?

I always hear...

hey, old man shine your love on me
hey, old man shine your love on me
soulful old man shine, shine, shine your light, your light on me - heyyyy
old man shine your love on me


Kinda makes sense in context. (Out of context it's creepy)

[Zach95]

It just that to me sounds like an unfinished bubblegum cover version of somebody else's soul attempt. Besides, Henn was trying to put his arranging diploma to use, and it shows: even though it's unfinished, it's overworked. Also, I find it a little clumsy, maybe because of the un-BW bassline, as Lee Dempsey notes.

Not that he song is bad, it's just that fans have a tendency to hype unreleased songs. Finally,   when they're released you just go meh.

And it's hard for me to imagine that this band, that could not score a top 100 album with Sunflower, could have had a hit  with this song at that time.

While I respect your opinion, I can't say I agree at all with your calling this "bubblegum" pop.  It's not at ALL like bubblegum...it DOES sound like soul, even with a bit of Motown thrown in there.  It also runs in a 3:27 on Endless Harmony, hardly the length of a bubblegum record.  While the lyrics are necessarily SMiLE-esque, they ring true to me and invoke simply joy.  I can tell you they're better than a lot of what the band was writing at the time.  Sure, I think the bass line isn't too creative, but I think it sounds the opposite of clumsy.  For whatever reason, I think it sounds polished.

In any case, like Ron said, I guess my opinion upon hearing this song was very much different than you and I respect that. 

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I think SOMS would've made a great opening track to an album! I never thought it was unBeach Boys. It has a similar vibe as Darlin, but with more harmony.

From around the same time, I would like to know what kept Break Away and Celebrate the News off an album?

[Micha]

See I never heard any hype for the song.  Never even heard of it until I bought "Endless Harmony"... so when I popped it in, it was like "WHAT THE f*ck IS THIS?"  and I got goosebumps.

Well... not "f*ck" and goosebumps to me, rather a surprised "this is great, why on earth wasn't this released? Where did it come from?" followed by deep gladness to have heard it. I hadn't heard about it before either, and since then I think "if only the Wild Honey album had this sound!!!"

And it's hard for me to imagine that this band, that could not score a top 100 album with Sunflower, could have had a hit  with this song at that time.

Probably not... but still I think it should have been the opener of "Sunflower" and the single to it. In a universe that followed my will it would!

[Andrew G. Doe]

I think SOMS would've made a great opening track to an album! I never thought it was unBeach Boys. It has a similar vibe as Darlin, but with more harmony.

From around the same time, I would like to know what kept Break Away and Celebrate the News off an album?

Simple - end-of-contract songs. No album to put them on !

[Steve Mayo]

why, i think it would have fit quite well on that fading rock group revival album.... 

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I think SOMS would've made a great opening track to an album! I never thought it was unBeach Boys. It has a similar vibe as Darlin, but with more harmony.

From around the same time, I would like to know what kept Break Away and Celebrate the News off an album?

Simple - end-of-contract songs. No album to put them on !

I guess any Capitol songs were off limits when they moved to Warner? That sucks. They would've improved Sunflower IMO. Replace Got to Know the Woman and one of Bruce's tracks and Whalla!

[donald]

It just that to me sounds like an unfinished bubblegum cover version of somebody else's soul attempt. Besides, Henn was trying to put his arranging diploma to use, and it shows: even though it's unfinished, it's overworked. Also, I find it a little clumsy, maybe because of the un-BW bassline, as Lee Dempsey notes.

Not that he song is bad, it's just that fans have a tendency to hype unreleased songs. Finally,   when they're released you just go meh.

And it's hard for me to imagine that this band, that could not score a top 100 album with Sunflower, could have had a hit  with this song at that time.

Not so much like bubble gum.  The first line is more like a commercial for feminine body lotion.  I do like the intro harmony.  Knocked me out when I first heard it on EH following Brians DEMO.  SOMS naked preceeding SOMS full blown Beachboys in the studio.

As for SHUNSHINE, yeah I heard it but just sounded like a glitch in an overdub or something.   Didn't bother me.  Like a well placed freckle, just part of the overall picture.

[Aegir]

and Whalla!

I've been seeing this a lot lately. It's "voila". It's French.